J/70 World Championship |  14-22 October 2022

 

Wednesday 19th October 2022. Accustomed to hosting major one design events, Yacht Club de Monaco is once again behind one of the most high profile events in the sailing world. With its organisation for the first time of a J/70 World Championship, YCM has attracted familiar top ranking faces.

The fleet comprises superb helmsmen, tacticians and sailors from backgrounds as diverse as they are prestigious. The meeting stands out for attracting the cream from other race venues and implementing important decisions to protect the sea. A case of excellence in sport meeting excellence in the environmental approach.

 

Very high level is the refrain of this Monegasque edition 

With ten World Champion titles to his name (Farr40, Melges 24, Melges 32, Swan 45, Mumm 30, J/24, J/22) and several America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race campaigns under his belt, Chris Larson (Smokeshow) is one of the big names to make the trip to the Principality. “The idea is to get the job done at sea, to stay consistent and focused. We are all here to try and get a result,” says one of the many in a strong American line-up on site. “We’ve been working with the rest of the crew for eight months preparing for this meeting. We’re trained up, have good sailors, a good boat, we’re here for just one thing,” concludes the man who is rediscovering Monaco having competed on a J/24 here several years ago.

No animosity, just a fair fight and mutual respect underpin the philosophy on the pontoons. For Pietro Sibello (Notaro) from the 49er circuit, mainsail trimmer on the Italian Challenger Luna Rossa, now coach and consultant for Alinghi, the event promises to be eventful. “This World Championship is going to be tough given the level of the sailors. We’ll need patience. The goal is the same every time you go to sea: it’s all about winning. We know it won’t be easy but we’ll give it everything we’ve got”.

 

A world where eco-awareness prevails

This World Championship also sheds light on environmental initiatives adopted by Yacht Club de Monaco, as Olivier Campana, President of the Monaco J/70 Class Association, explains: “Our Committee Boat has been operating on biodiesel for five years now. As for those of our semi-rigid safety boats which aren’t electric, they are running on bioethanol. We have dynamic positioning buoys that avoid any damage to the seabed. And last but not least, this J/70 World Championship is partnered with RAMOGE, one of the longest established environmental protection agreements in the world”.

An intergovernmental cooperation agreement between the states of France, Italy and Monaco to protect the marine environment, RAMOGE was set up in 1976 on the initiative of Prince Rainier III. Comprising a commission, a technical committee, working groups and a permanent Secretariat, RAMOGE’s objective is three-fold: to safeguard ecosystems and biodiversity; raise awareness among marine stakeholders and the public on how to behave; and to optimise the battle against pollution events. With nearly 30% of endemic species and 10% of known marine species in the world, the Mediterranean Sea is one of the richest. Many of these species are threatened by human activities, pollution and climate change.

Through its many commitments, YCM affirms its desire to combine sporting excellence with its environmental ambitions.